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Military dad surprises son at school

Northeastern seventh-grader hadn't seen father since Christmas.

By ANGIE MASON Daily Record/Sunday News

Updated:
03/23/2010 09:36:57 AM EDT

Austin Mosel, 12, gets a kiss from his dad, U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. David Mosel, on Monday at the Northeastern Middle School. Tech Sgt. David Mosel, who had just returned from Afghanistan, surprised his son by returning home about a week early. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS--JASON PLOTKIN)

Austin Mosel wasn't too sure why he'd been pulled out of class a few minutes before dismissal or why there were so many cameras in the Northeastern Middle School cafeteria.

Then Benjamin Ruby, assistant principal, pointed to the corner, where a man in a U.S. Air Force uniform sat on a couch.

"Hey, pal!"

"Hey, Dad!"

Austin, 12, was surprised Monday afternoon by his father, Tech Sgt. David Mosel, who had just returned from Afghanistan, where he'd been since Christmas. Austin said he'd expected to see his dad sometime next week.

Mosel, who lives in Maryland, said he hadn't told his son and daughter exactly when he'd be back, since coming home can be a long process. He figured it was better to surprise them than disappoint them.

When Mosel is home, he calls the kids every morning before they go to school. But while he was overseas, they sent text messages.

Monday morning, he texted that he was "in transit," giving no indication he was showing up that day. He said he's been away for months at a time before, such as when he was previously deployed to Iraq, so Austin is used to not seeing him all the time.

"I just thought that, you know . . . he doesn't get a lot of surprises," Mosel said. "He's a good kid."

Austin's mother called Monday morning to arrange the surprise, Ruby said. It was fun to be part of the moment, he said.

"This is the Northeastern community," Ruby said.

Austin, a seventh-grader, hugged his dad, while "God Bless the U.S.

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A." played. Staff members gathered in the cafeteria clapped, while Austin tried to figure out why he was being videotaped.

He'd been told he was going to the dentist. He said he was "really, really confused" at first, but "really excited."

"He's my dad. I love him," he said.

Then, Austin and his dad left to surprise Austin's sister, who is in fifth grade. amason@ydr.com; 771-2048

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